curtain raiser—
1. a short play performed before a main play:
- On the first night performance of “The Alcade,” she played in a curtain- raiser “Bertram.”
2. said of any preliminary event or activity:
- This match was a curtain-raiser to the Wills Open Tournament.
raise the curtain—(also: lift the curtain) make smth. known; expose smth.:
- Freedom of information helps raise the curtain on government. You have a right to know what government organizations are doing.